 | When you travel .down south. you have the opportunity to acquire a uniquely Sri Lankan souvenir "the devil masks." Demons are thought to live everywhere - in fact the island was said to be originally inhabited by yakshas or devils - and it is believed that they can possess humans. To exorcise them, a devil dance is performed, with dancers wearing grotesque masks with bulging eyes, sharp teeth and lots of other scary features. Ambalangoda, a sleepy seaside town, is the place to pick up some fantastic specimens from master carvers, and there is also a mask museum should you want to delve a little deeper.
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